Monthly Archives: April 2010

Each week, government-led Freddie Mac publishes a weekly mortgage rate survey based on data from 125 banks across the country. According to this week’s results, the relative rate of a 5-year ARM is extremely low versus its 30-year fixed-rate cousin. … Continue reading →

Foreclosure filings rose close to 20 percent nationwide last month versus February, according to foreclosure-tracking firm RealtyTrac.com, and for the 13th straight month, total filings topped 300,000. In addition, bank repossessions reached an all-time, quarterly record. Through the first three … Continue reading →

The federal home buyer tax credit expires April 30 and the deadline is sparking a home sale surge. It figures to burden real estate, mortgage and title offices nationwide over the next 60 days so plan your closing date accordingly. … Continue reading →

Not all home improvements are created equal. Especially if you’re looking for “resale value” back from your work. An article from the Wall Street Journal lays it out cleanly. Function beats flash these days so be wary of where you … Continue reading →

Mortgage markets improved last week to the delight of rate shoppers. Against a sparse economic calendar, Wall Street turned its attention to geopolitics in Greece and the Eurozone. It didn’t like what it saw. Safe haven buying buoyed mortgage bond … Continue reading →

As the federal home buyer tax credit nears its April 30 end-date, there’s a lot of would-be home buyers still working to get under contract. A piece of advice for all of them : If your pre-qualification and/or pre-approval letter … Continue reading →

Taxes are due April 15 and if you’re among the millions of Americans who wait until the last week to file, here’s a video interview that could help you reduce your federal tax liability. Originally broadcast by NBC’s The Today … Continue reading →

Mortgage markets improved yesterday after the Federal Reserve released its March 16, 2010 meeting minutes. It’s good news for home buyers and rate shoppers — rates could have just as easily gone the other way. The Fed Minutes is a … Continue reading →

As expected, the Pending Home Sales shot higher in February, boosted by the federal home buyer tax credit’s April 30 deadline. Versus the month prior, February’s index rose 8 percent but remains well off the highs set last October. For … Continue reading →

Mortgage markets performed terribly last week as losses piled up day by day. It marked the second straight week of sell-offs. Pricing was influenced on several fronts including better-than-expected economic data, the end of the Federal Reserve’s mortgage buyback program, … Continue reading →